Follow Me
by Jacqueline King
Summary: Five years after Sora sealed Kingdom Hearts with Riku inside, he's trying to move on. But how can he marry Kairi when every memory of Riku makes his heart pain? Not to mention what happens when the Door appears on the island once more. Details inside.
1. Prologue

_A/N-- Hey, thank you for reading my fanfiction! Just a few things to say before we start here. P First off, I do not own Kingdom Hearts (well, I own the actual game, but not the rights or nothing) and I write this based totally off of the first one only. I have beaten the second game, but it was way to confusing. Also, because that summary thing you read before you click on the story doesn't let you write a lot, I must add that this story is a love triangle, between Riku, Sora and Kairi. Yes, there is yaoi, so leave now if you don't like that sort of thing. I rate this T for language and suggestive content. I'm not one to get into a lot of detail. Also, I hope you don't just stop reading cause you're sick of people putting Riku and Sora together. I'm working hard on this, and I want it to show how you can feel two kinds of love towards your friends. All right, I'm all done now. Oh, and if you're wondering about the name, the next chapter explains it. P_

_Jacqueline Out._

* * *

_The day you will open the door is both far off and very near._

_The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes._

_But don't be afraid. And don't forget..._

_You hold the mightiest weapon of all._

_So don't forget: You are the one who will open the door…_

Sora became aware of the red color of the inside of his eyelids quite too suddenly. He'd been having a dream again, one of the strange dreams that made him feel so many mixed feelings. He let his mind wander for a moment, considering all that had occurred. He remembered Riku, standing in the shallows with his hand outstretched. He felt a pang in his heart as he thought of how he couldn't reach him before the waters swept him away.

Finally, he opened his bright blue eyes to stare up at the sky. It was unbearably bright at first, then slowly his vision adjusted and he yelped in surprise at the girl standing over him. "Whoa!"

Kairi giggled and wrinkled her nose at the groggy-looking boy in the sand of Destiny Island's beach. He sat up and muttered, "Gimme a break, Kairi."

The petite red head placed her hands on her hips and teased, "Sora, you lazy bum. I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here."

Sora was quick to protest. He wasn't trying to be lazy. He'd been getting next to no sleep for weeks. If only Kairi would understand all the strange things he'd been thinking. "No! This huge black THING swallowed me up! I couldn't breath, I couldn't—ow!" Sora placed a gloved hand on the back of his head, rubbing it tenderly from soreness. It must have either been the sand, or whatever had happened in his dreams involved him getting a nice hit in the head.

"Are you still dreaming?" Kairi giggled once more, but stifled it at the sight of red growing around the edge of Sora's ears and cheeks. She placed a delicate hand over her lips for a moment.

Sora sat up and let his elbows rest on his knees. He glared up at Kairi and insisted, "It wasn't a dream!" He paused, his eyes flickering down to the grains of sand that he rested upon. "Or was it? I don't know. What was that place? So bizarre…"

Kairi had enough of Sora's games by now and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure," she muttered. Her eyes gazed out towards the clam, open sea. The breeze rippled her clothing and hair slightly as she let out a long sigh.

After a few minutes of the friends' comfortable silence, Sora leaned forward and placed his chin on his knees and asked curiously, "Say, Kairi, what was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up."

Kairi was quiet before she answered in a sweet voice, "I've told you before, I don't remember."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

A few more moments of silence passed between the friends before Sora finally blurted, "You ever want to go back?"

Kairi smiled softly, her hair whipping at her face in time with the breeze. "Well," she said thoughtfully, "I'm happy here."

"Really…" Sora sighed with a bit of disappointment. He wanted to see the place where Kairi grew up, to get off the island and see the worlds around it.

"But you know…" she added carefully, a grin spreading across her face as she turned back to Sora. "I wouldn't mind going to see it."

Sora jumped up, excited by the idea of going out to see the worlds. "I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see 'em all!"

Laughing, Kairi nudged Sora and cried, "Then what're we waiting for?"

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about me?"

Both Kairi and Sora looked down the beach to see who'd spoken. Sora felt his heart flutter. The boy stood with a smirk on his face and a gleam in the two eyes that matched the sea. He crossed his arms over his chest, one hand holding a log, and walked forward. There was still that playful and sly smirk on his face. Sora tired to forget how he'd dreamed of Riku, but hadn't he also dreamed of Kairi? It wasn't uncommon for Sora to dream of his friends, but this had been so much different. Usually dreams with Kairi meant he'd wake up with a goofy smile on his face and a very awkward feeling bellow the belt. The last dream hadn't made him feel that way. He'd been falling through the sky, and she'd tried to catch him… but she couldn't. Riku hadn't been able to save him from the current either. Was it all just a symbol that he was going to be swept away with no one to save him?

"So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft," Riku said smoothly. His cocky, but always smooth voice snapped Sora from his thoughts. The three of them had been working hard on the small raft that was going to get them off the island. It wasn't going to get them very far, but they guessed it could probably get them to the closest world. With a quick flick of his hand he tossed the log at Sora. Caught off guard, he fell hard on the sand, the log landing heavily in his arms. Riku glanced at Kairi and accused good-naturedly, "And you're just as lazy as he is!"

"So you noticed," Kairi giggled sweetly. "Okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!"

From his place on the ground, Sora squinted up at Kairi. He tilted his head to the side, confused. "Huh?"

"What, are you kidding?" Riku said skeptically. Despite his hardest efforts, Riku had a hard time holding back how highly he could think of himself. The look in his face told Sora that he expected to win. Suddenly, Sora very much wanted to race.

"Ready? Go!" Kairi shouted before he'd even had time to stand up. She began to race down the sand, Riku not far behind. Sora jumped up, tossed the log aside and ran after them, momentarily forgetting his worries as he raced with his two closest friends. Some how, deep in his heart, Sora knew that times like this would be scarce soon.


	2. Problems over Paopu

_You don't know how you met me, you don't know why  
You can't turn around and say good-bye  
All you know is when I'm with you, I make you free  
And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea_

_I'm singin' follow me everything is all right  
I'll be the one to tuck you in at night  
And if you want to leave I can guarantee  
You won't find nobody else like me_

_I'm not worried 'bout the ring you wear  
Cuz' as long as no one knows than nobody can care  
You're feeling guilty and I'm well aware  
But you don't look ashamed and baby, I'm not scared_

-- Unkle Kracker, Follow Me

Sora's eyes flickered open with a jolt of surprise. He'd been having dreams of the past lately, but dreams of dreaming always gave him a headache, even if the _real_ dream he'd been having consisted of a memory. God, even thinking about it was making his head pound. He wiped the sleep from his eyes, sitting up slowly. The clock on his bedside read it was five in the morning. Kairi still was fast asleep beside him, her mouth open as she snored sweetly.

He touched her soft hand with a happy smile on his face. This was when he liked it best, the two of them connected by subconscious thoughts and feelings. No words were the best, too, of late. They'd been fighting for the first time, ever. Fighting over someone who was long dead to them.

With a sigh, he broke the small moment of intimacy and stole over to his dresser, pulled out some clothes for the day and went to the bathroom. He turned on the scalding water and jumped in before it had time to warm up fully. The cold water helped him sort his thoughts as he let his mind wander back into time. Back to when he'd closed Riku into the door. He tensed at the memory. He'd always thought he'd be able to open Kingdom Hearts once again, that he'd save his friend from the darkness. Sora only wished that he'd not been so naïve back then. Riku had known what would happen when that door closed. He'd known that Sora wouldn't be able to open it again.

A frustrated cry escaped the brunette's lips. He banged a fist against the side of the shower with a _twump._ There was a startled snort from the bedroom and he heard Kairi begin to move. _Great, now you woke up her royal bitchiness,_ he thought bitterly. He truly did love Kairi, and he knew he could never stop loving her, but she had been so cruel and hard to get along with.

It'd started up a few weeks ago when they'd started to plan for the wedding. Sora had proposed to her on their old play island, the little paopu island to be exact. He'd handed her wedge of fruit with her engagement ring in it, and they shared the fruit after she'd slipped the ring on with one of her silent smiles. Over all, Sora couldn't have thought of any better way to offer such a thing. But… for some strange reason, even though he'd bought the island for him and Kairi to live on and build a house, to raise a family… it didn't feel like theirs. The ghost of their lost friend haunted it, and raped it of the innocence it had once shared between them.

The fighting started out small. Kairi wanted to have the wedding on the paopu island—Riku's Island. Sora had strongly said no. "But… Sora, that place is so special to us," she'd sighed sweetly, taking his hand. They'd been at Sora's old house back on the main island, and his mother gave him a strange look. She'd known how much that one particular spot had been the center of his young friendship with Kairi.

"No, I don't want us to be married on that tiny little thing," he insisted, not meeting either of them in the eye.

"Please tell me this isn't one of those male things about size," grumbled his mother who rolled her eyes dramatically. Kairi giggled. Sora glared.

"No, it isn't about anything. I just don't want to be married on the island."

"But… you said you didn't want to have a traditional service. Where else would we want to be married, Sora? That's the place we swore our hearts to each other. Isn't it fitting?" Kairi prompted.

"That wasn't ever our island, Kairi," Sora said quietly. "That island belonged to Him."

They never did say his name, it just didn't seem right.

"Sora," Kairi whispered, taking his hands once again. "It's been five years. Things have changed."

Sora pushed the hands away. "You didn't seal Riku up into a place of never ending darkness," he said coldly and walked out of the house, down the road and to the dock where he kept his boat. Kairi's eyes had filled with horror at the use of their old friend's name. It brought back so many painful memories for her, but it ripped a hole in Sora's heart.

Sora shut the water off and wrapped up in a towel just as Kairi walked in. She blinked at him with sleepy eyes and muttered, "Sorry, Sora. I'll let you change." She closed the door with a snap, obviously still mad about last night's bicker about the place of the wedding again. It had been decided that they would not start any other planning until they settled this matter, and it had been three weeks and it still wasn't settled. Kairi was getting very impatient, and showing a new side of her that Sora had never seen. Over all, he guessed this couldn't be very good for their relationship.

He pulled on his clothes and stared into the fogged up mirror. He could make out his wet but still spiky brown hair and his two blue eyes staring at him, waiting for him to do something that would stop the fighting. With a sigh, he brushed his teeth and left the bathroom. Kairi didn't say anything as she hurried in. A moment later he heard the water turn back on. "How can we get on with our lives if we don't even talk any more?" he grumbled and slipped on his shoes. He still wore the similar outfit he had when he was a kid, a pair of shorts that now went down past his knees, and a jacket over a t-shirt. He'd grown quite a few inches, but other than that it was still Sora.

He walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen, with its one large window looking out to the beach. They'd built the house on the island shortly after he'd returned to their home world. It'd taken a year to find a way to get through to this world, but he hadn't started trying until he'd given up trying to find a way into Kingdom Hearts once more to save the king and Riku. Over all, it took two years. Those were the hardest years of his life, and he could never forget the hope that had been crushed when they'd failed so many times to try and open the door.

The island and the mainland had been pretty beat up after the heartless had come. People were still rebuilding in some spots. Kairi and Sora had taken advantage of all the wood on the island and created a nicely sized home, perfect for the two of them. There was a bit of extra room, and Sora didn't want to think about the children Kairi wanted to fill it.

How could she be thinking so far ahead, when there was so much to be done know? He sighed and made himself a bowl of cereal, sitting down at the counter and watched as the waves lapped up onto the shore.

"Sora."

The brunette jumped. He hadn't heard Kairi come down the stairs or approach him, yet suddenly there she was, right behind him whispering in his ear. "Sora… I thought you'd want us to be married there, at Riku's favorite spot."

At the name, he could almost physically feel a blade knifing out his heart. He didn't say anything as he clutched his spoon tighter. This had been the calmest Kairi had been when she'd talked of this subject for a while. He was truly interested in what she was saying for once.

"We… probably won't ever see him again, Sora." Sora hunched his shoulders, not wanting to hear this anymore. He wanted to hear what Kairi was saying, not have a discussion about their friend he'd sealed in a dark hell. "So, isn't that where he'd have wanted us to be married? It's the place we can feel closest to him. I know you would have him as your best man if you could. We feel Riku's memories, his spirit there… and I want us to share that on our wedding day. I know it's hard to think about that, but forgetting Riku isn't going to make it feel any better."

"Why did you pick this very moment to talk to me about Riku?" Sora asked quietly, turning around in his stool to face Kairi. She was wearing her now shoulder length hair in a high ponytail, her bangs still hanging in her face. Her outfit was all pink, and it momentarily made Sora want to roll his eyes. Did she wear anything else? "You never said anything when I first came back, when I was hurting the most," he continued, almost accusingly. "So why now? So you can use Riku as a way to sway me to your reasoning?"

"Sora… I was hurting too don't you know that? God, you're so selfish sometimes! What could I have said back then? Would you have even listened?" She clenched her fists and added with a dark voice, "You insult me by saying I would hang the memory of our friend over you to try and sway you. I'm trying to show you my perspective. I don't even know why the hell you're so mad at the idea of being married on the Paopu Island!"

Sora didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. It wasn't that he didn't want to be near his friend on his wedding day, but… "I don't know Kairi," he finally sighed. "I just… right now memories hurt. A lot."

"When are they ever not going to, Sora?"

_When I find him…_

* * *

"G'morning Sora!"

Sora gave a forced smile to the plump little postman at the mainland's post office. He went to his mailbox and pulled out the letters. He walked out into the bright, early afternoon's sunshine and walked over to a small café. He sat down and ordered lemonade before shifting through the week's mail.

A few letters of congratulations from family and friends were here and there. One was from Selphie, who said that she, Tidus and Walkka would be coming for the wedding no matter what. Sora kept that one so Kairi could read it and he could see her in a bit of a more happy mood.

The last letter was the one he'd been hoping for. It had taken a while no doubt; due to the fact it'd come from another world. World traveling was not as frequent as it used to be. He ripped open the envelope and read quickly.

_Dear Sora,_

_WE CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE MARRYING KAIRI! We always knew you were sweet on her since we met. Of course, Goofy wasn't as quick to catch on. We've missed ya, and we hope after your wedding we can do some world traveling with you (honeymoon idea, ask Kairi). _

_We haven't had much luck locating the king or Riku. We've had tips of the location of the door. It seems to be shifting from worlds. We can't figure out why for the life of us, but we're looking into His Highness's library with Queen Minnie's permission. She's been doing better; Daisy's always helped her out._

_Some of the information we've been gathering is so bizarre that we don't know what to make of it. It's hard to explain in a letter, so when we come to your world for the wedding, we'll try to fill you in then._

_Oh, Goofy wants to let you know that there was a strange spotting at Traverse Town. It was a big cloud of black, some people thought it was the heartless returning… an old man swore he saw a door within it, but everyone thought he'd just gone crazy. We don't know if it was the door to Kingdom Hearts or not… but how in the worlds it can be traveling is beyond us. We'll keep you as well posted as we can with how slow letters are. Say hi to Kairi for us._

_Your friends,_

_Donald & Goofy_

A strange dark cloud floating of Traverse Town? That was the world closest to Sora's own. Could it be that the next stop would be his world? Would he be able to summon the keyblade and open it? What would happen if he opened it? Would the heartless be released again?

Sora sighed and rested his head in his hands that were propped up on the table by his elbows. There was so much to worry about. He'd left Kairi in silence; both of them too tired to try and raised their voices for a shouting match. Neither of them wanted that anyways.

How could he make her understand that he couldn't forgive himself for sealing Riku away in there? It'd been torturing him in his sleep, in his waking hours as well. It had gotten to the point where he was used to the aching raw pain in his chest, but whenever it flared he wanted to simply die.

"Your lemonade, sir," said the waitress and left it at his table. He stared at the sweating glass and sighed. He wasn't thirsty.

He stuffed the mail in one of his many pockets, downed the lemonade despite the fact he wasn't thirsty at all and began walking back to his boat waiting in the docks. He climbed in and began his row back to Destiny Island. Ever since the day he was thrust into the fight against the heartless, Sora had found the name of his childhood play island a little too ironic for his taste.

Kairi was on the beach when he arrived, staring out at the waves like she always used to do. He didn't bother her, guessing she didn't want to talk again after the morning's quiet but very dangerous dispute. The subject was rickety, and they both knew if they kept it up it would all just come crashing down on them.

Instead of heading back to the house, the troubled brunette slipped into the Secret Place. It'd been a long time since he'd been there. It was another one of those places that had stayed untouched. There were cobwebs and an eerie feeling as he pushed his way past the brush that was forming by the opening.

When he was in the dimly lit cavern, his eyes wandered towards all the childish cave drawings, smiling at the ones of him and Kairi (especially the one of the two sharing the paopu fruit). He felt the same familiar hole in his heart as he saw the ones of him and Riku. It was so hard to accept he was gone…

His eyes strayed to the other side of the cave and he froze.

Standing before him in the gloom, it loomed ominously and extremely out of place in the cave.

The Door had returned.


	3. Training

Sora couldn't believe his eyes. How could the door have been getting close and him not notice it? His mind went back to the dreams he'd been having recently and gave a nervous laugh. How could he not have noticed that those must have been warning him?

What was he supposed to do now? It wasn't safe to open the Door at all, but he had to if he wanted to save Riku and the King. There was a tiny thought in the back of his mind that was bugging him terribly, but he didn't want to admit it; what if they were already consumed by the darkness?

He had to talk to someone that would understand the situation, and it certainly couldn't be Goofy or Donald. They had no idea what was going on, and there was no way for them to get here in time. "I need help," he sighed weakly and folded to the ground with his legs crossed, eyes staring up at the Door. It'd been so long, but the thing still scared him. Sora went through all the people he'd met in his travels all those years ago. Who had the most knowledge of what lay in Kingdom Hearts?

"Ugh," he groaned and stood up, his hand balling into a fist. There was a strange _clink _and he felt his fingers wrap around a handle. The brunette looked down at the keyblade in his hands and smiled. It'd been a while since he'd felt it in his hands. Sora knew, however, that the key wanted to open the Door, and it was not to be opened now. If he were going to have to do this on his own, he'd have to train for what might be lying on the other side.

He prayed he'd have enough time.

* * *

"Where've you been all day?" Kairi asked coolly as they sat down to dinner. The sun was setting against the water and the sight was breathtaking. Sora's eyes were straying towards the sky more than his food tonight. This was saying something, as his appetite was about the size of a horse's. Kairi noticed his absentmindedness and asked again, "Sora, what've you been doing today?" 

Sora snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at Kairi. "Oh, I got the mail, talked to a few people in town." Kairi raised an eyebrow. He'd been back by noon; she'd seen him get out of the boat.

"Oh, anything else?"

Sora pushed some of the food around his plate with his fork, looking like an awkward teenager again. "I did a lot of thinking," he said quietly. "And I decided that you're right; we should have the wedding on the Paopu Island."

Kairi's eyes sparkled and she jumped up with a wide smile on her face. "Sora!" she cried, wrapping her arms around the startled boy. "Oh, Sora, I'm so sorry for all this fighting! I just… I want this to be perfect."

"Yeah," Sora said, glad that he didn't have to smile for her as she was hugging him too tightly. "Me too."

* * *

Sora woke up early again the next morning, but this time for a reason. He showered quietly, pulled on his clothes and went down to the kitchen. He wrote a note to Kairi saying he was going for a jog. He grabbed an apple and headed out of the house. He liked the early morning. Birds were beginning to call back and forth, even though the sun had not yet rose. He went to the old tree house he'd spent a lot of time with Riku and Kairi in. The wooden swords were waiting there, and Sora picked up the one Riku had carved for him. Sora was always clumsy with that sort of thing. 

He jumped down from the tree house and walked silently along the beach to the rickety old bridge that led to Paopu Island. He walked out to the tiny island and closed his eyes. He imagined the heartless surrounding him, and this time he was alone—like the first time he summoned the key as the island was being swallowed.

Sora began to practice the moves he'd learned all that time ago. The lunges, the thrashing, the stabs, all with his eyes closed tightly, destroying enemies in the darkness of his own mind. He didn't stop till the sun had rose and the tide had changed. The brunette leaned against the Paopu tree, panting from exhaustion. He looked up at the ripe fruit and reached up, grabbed one of the strangely star shaped fruits. He smiled softly and said, "Riku, I'm going to find you. I promise." He took a bite of the fruit, and imagined his friend standing beside him, looking out onto the horizon for another world to explore, for another adventure to be found. And this time, they'd do it together.

* * *

"Wow, Sora, you must have been _sprinting _the island, you look exhausted!" Kairi giggled and took her fiancé's hand. She sat him down at the couch and got him a glass of lemonade. The tired out keyblade master had walked through the front door while Kairi had been slicing up fruit for a fruit salad. She now sat on the edge of the couch beside him, giving him a loving smile. 

"I'm sick of just sitting around," Sora stated simply, downing the glass with one swift motion. Kairi nodded and smoothed out the brunette's hair. She knew it was a lost cause, considering how much of it just stuck out everywhere. Secretly, she had always preferred Riku's hair; it always behaved better.

"I know what you mean, but there's so much planning to do!" Kairi gushed, standing up. "So you want to keep those jogs shorter, or we won't have any time in the day. I started writing out invitations, and I wanted to ask you if it was all right if Selphie could be the bride's maid?"

Sora sometimes wished that Kairi would go back to being just sweet and quiet. At least that way he didn't have to feel like he was always out of the loop on things. "Um, yes, of course," he said, not sure how he could say no to that one. Was there anyone else that could be the bride's maid?

"So," Kairi said seriously, her tone slowing as her excitement went from frothing to a steady boil. "Who's going to be the best man?"

Silence filled the room.

"I still… haven't decided," Sora finally choked out. "I mean Goofy and Donald will want to fight over it. So, I have to figure out which will want to more. It'd be nice if the two of them could walk you down the isle." He hoped it all sounded casual. He had only wanted one person to be the best man, but that man was sealed in a place of complete darkness. _Not for long, _Sora vowed.

"Oh," Kairi said, taking the bait. "I see. Well, personally I'd choose Goofy. Donald's a little short, no offense, and he doesn't seem like the type who'd do a very good speech at the reception."

Sora laughed long and hard. She had a very good point. "Yeah, but Goofy's the kind that would trip easily down the isle." Kairi laughed too, and the two engaged young adults held each other for a moment, allowing an intimacy to pass between them that hadn't been there for a while.

Sora kissed Kairi innocently, his gloved hand gently cupping her cheek. The girl's eyes slid close as he kissed him back, unaware of the mixed feelings behind that kiss.

When the two broke away, Kairi smiled a soft, slight smile with her eyes still tightly shut. It was one of pure joy, but not in an overly abundant way. Sora knew this was why he loved Kairi; the way she could take an emotion that usually was hard to express, and turn it into something so simple and clean.

"Can I tell you something, Sora?" Kairi whispered softly, letting her chin rest on his shoulder. Sora placed a hand gently between her shoulder blades, holding her to him.

"Of course, Kairi."

"I was… sort of always jealous of Riku." Sora's arms around the girl's frame tightened at the name. "I mean, before all of that stuff… happened. When I showed up here, you two were already best friends. He got to know you so much more than I did. I always thought that if you had to choose between us you'd choose him."

Sora released Kairi and stared at the ground. "Kairi, I did have to choose… I tried to get both of you, but I couldn't. I had to choose… and I choose you."

Kairi looked at the ground too, staring at the patterns in the woodwork. "Do you ever think… you made the wrong choice?"

"No!" Sora said instantly. "Riku was too confident. He… he thought he could beat the darkness with his strong heart. What he didn't realize was that by ignoring us as his friends, he was making it weaker and more susceptible."

"Yeah, I guess… but they took my heart too," Kairi said, her voice shaky as she remembered that terrible time.

"That's different, Kairi," Sora insisted. "You didn't open yourself up. They took you…"

The room fell to an uncomfortable silence. Both felt as if they were teenagers again, reliving those hard years of their loosing each other and Riku. It really hadn't been as long ago as the phrase "five years" made it feel.

"I love you, Sora," came Kairi's timid voice after a long stretch of silence. She gave him a broad smile and giggled, "You've got the key to my heart."

Sora forced a smile out and hugged Kairi lovingly as she began to cry. He didn't ask why she was. Sometimes you just needed to cry over memories.

_((N/A: Behold! I am the Queen of Choppiness. This chapter was sort of one of those you just have to get through to get to the good parts. Yes, I know it's short. I'm sorry. I'm trying harder. Next one's going to be fun... I can promise you.-wink- Thanks to Moonyasha for the review, I really appreciate it. Also, thank you Gurei-Chan for the favorite (already?! I'm touched!). And namikun masaki, thank you for the alert. It gives me hope that what I'm writing gives people the feeling it's going someplace instead of just babbling. :D That's all I have for now, and yes, someday I will make these comments shorter.  
Jaqueline Out.))  
_


	4. Way to Dawn

The night breeze was cool against Sora's nightshirt and boxers as he stared off into the churning blackness of the ocean. He sat with his legs folded out in front of him on the sandy Paopu Island, his eyes half closed. Kairi had gone to bed early, tired from both the crying and talking they'd done that day, and all the things she'd been planning. She'd successfully invited everyone on the mainland to the wedding, and a few people from different worlds including Belle, Wendy and Goofy and Donald.

Sora was glad that he didn't have to do much of the planning, but more of then encouraging. Kairi wanted everything perfect, so he'd let her have it the way she wanted. He liked seeing her happy, and so long as she was satisfied with the wedding, he'd have a good marriage.

At least, that's what he told himself.

He hadn't been able to sleep that night, not wanting to face more dreams of Riku's face. It was the only way he could see the boy, but it hurt to know that those dreams were memories of a time before darkness had penetrated the silver haired boy's heart. Sora put a hand slowly to his heart, fingering the cotton of his shirt thoughtfully. "I should have been the one taken by the darkness," he whispered. "You were always so much more stronger than me…"

Sora closed his deep blue eyes, not wanting to stare at the churning sea. The wind was picking up a bit more. He was beginning to shiver. After a moment, he stood as the wind began to howl around him and let out a long frustrated cry, his arm going up into the air as the keyblade appeared there in his clenched hand. He thrust it hard into the sand, hating what the thing had done to him. It'd torn his friends away, showed him that even good people had black hearts. Yet, it'd always protected him.

"Why couldn't things just have stayed the same?" he grumbled, falling down to the sand again. "Why couldn't we have built the raft and discovered the worlds that way?" The brunette stared up at the stars that were quickly being covered with clouds. He remembered that last night on the island. It was much like this.

"The Door," he whispered softly, wondering if it had anything to do with the tropical storm blowing in. He hoped it wouldn't be a repeat of the last time the cursed thing was on the island. This time though, he was stronger, and could fight the darkness. "I can fight the darkness," Sora said to himself, a bit louder now as his eyes gazed out at the roiling waves, "but can Riku?"

* * *

"Ngh!" Riku panted as he held back a particularly relentless heartless. "Why. Won't. You. Damn. Things. Just. DIE!" He thrust the Souleater into the heartless and gave a satisfied smirk as it disappeared. There would be more, there always was more. The more that came, the more he was tested. It tested his strength of heart, not to mention his sanity. He'd lost count of time, it seemed that nothing changed here in this darkness. He did not know if he'd been fighting for hours, days, weeks or years. He was just waiting for his escape. He'd never been so longing to see the light.

Sometimes there was a calm between the waves of heartless. At these times, Riku became aware of how weak he was getting. He'd fall, and close his eyes as the strips of darkness began to encircle him. He gave himself in willingly this time, too tired to face the next wave of heartless. The darkness began to creep over him and he gave a weak laugh. The shadows twitched and wrapped around him like a blanket. It was so good to open his heart to the darkness once more. It'd been too hard to fight.

Suddenly, something pulled the shadows from his heart with a swift motion. "You have to fight, Riku!" someone called to him. His heart lightened with hope, it was a spark and it sent the shadows even farther away from him. The silver haired boy opened his eyes, ready to see the face of his savoir. Two large black ears wobbled in front of his vision and he groaned softly.

"We'll get out of here, you just have to fight, and always believe," Mickey told him, shoving the Souleater back into Riku's hand. "You can fight them, you're strong enough."

"There's nothing left to fight for," Riku whispered, falling to his knees again, his head bent low.

"There's always things to fight for. It doesn't matter if we can see them or not. Think about your friends, Riku. Think of Sora and Kairi! Would they want you to give up?"

"I betrayed them. They want nothing left of me," Riku murmured, his eyes narrowed. The shadows were nearing again, excited by the boy's pain and self-loathing. It was food to them, and it made Mickey sick.

"Then why did Sora promise to get you out?" Mickey challenged, getting ready to fight off the growing shadows. He could fight them for a while, but in the end if Riku truly wanted the darkness to take him, Mickey couldn't stop it.

"Do you see him here? I've tried believing he'd come," Riku roared, his voice echoing off the endlessness of the pure blackness. "But so much time has past, I've forgotten his face. I've forgotten almost everything…"

"But you remember Sora's name. You remember his heart," Mickey encouraged. He had to get Riku to keep fighting.

"Yes," Riku whispered. He remembered how fragile that soul was, but how powerful at the same time. He remembered the love in that heart, a love that had reached out to him even when he'd betrayed it. The single ray of light from that heart had touched his own blackened soul. It'd released him from the powers of Ansem. That heart couldn't just stop loving a friend, could it?

The bands of withering shadows slithered off the boy's wrists and scuttled back into the gloom as he grasped the Souleater tightly in his hands. It began to change before his eyes, and he blinked, at the light in produced as it melted to show a blade that looked a lot like Mickey's in shape. It was a keyblade, with the same dark features of the Souleater, but there were strips of light on it, and it hurt his eyes to look for very long. It made him think of a long lost memory of darkness slowly turning to light. The name escaped him for a moment as he stared past the weapon. What was it called, when you knew the darkness would end soon, and the light would shine again?

"Mickey, what is… the ending of darkness and the beginning of light?"

"I believe we call that dawn, Riku."

The silver haired boy smirked and stood at the ready with his keyblade poised for attack. "I'm sick of fighting with a Souleater. I'm sick of eating souls. From now on I'm fighting my way out. I'm fighting to find the light."

Mickey smiled, a flare of hope hitting his heart that had also filled with despair. He stood at the ready too, as a new wave of heartless came forward, envying their ability to fight the darkness in this hell. Riku brought the new blade down upon the first heartless, and swung around to run a slash through another. He wasn't sure if this endless stream of fights would ever be stopped, but he had hope, and that was enough to destroy them and survive.

"Taste the Way to Dawn!" Riku bellowed at the heartless as he swung the keyblade down again. He liked the name. It made him think of a beam of pure white piercing this black hole and saving him and Mickey from their nightmare.

* * *

Sora woke up in a sweat, his palms clenched tightly at his sides. He was leaning against the Paopu tree, his back aching from having slept there. The storm was swirling about in the skies above, a few drops of rain tickling his face. He was terribly uncomfortable, finding sand had found its way into his boxers. He stood up and shook off a bit, stretching his arms above his head. The sky was far too dark to tell what time it was. Most people would have felt strange sitting out on a tiny island in the middle of a storm, but Sora felt no different. The storm was still a few hours off from when it would really hit Destiny Island.

That had been a new dream. A very strange dream at that. He doubted this one was a prediction of anything. He had no idea what it was like beyond the door to Kingdom Hearts now that Ansem wasn't controlling the heartless. He didn't know what had happened to King Mickey or Riku for that time, and he doubted he ever would until he opened that door.

Well, perhaps that dream did have some significance. Riku had acted like he was hopeful for Sora to come. Maybe that meant he was all right. The brunette prayed that was true. He wasn't sure if he could stand finding Riku or King Mickey succumbed to the darkness.

"Sora!" came a loud call over the wind that was beginning to pick up again. Sora gazed up at the slightly lop-sided house. On the deck stood Kairi in a robe. She looked terrified. "Get over here!" he saw her lips form, but the wind blew out the sound. He sighed and ran back to her, allowing the girl to push him inside and slam the door shut.

"It's hurricane weather out there, Sora!" Kairi sighed, shaking her head weakly. "We should have gone back to the mainland. This is supposed to be a bad storm. Hopefully we can ride it out…"

"Don't be so frightened," Sora tried to tell her with a reassuring smile. We'll ride it out just fine. We've got plenty of provisions, and there's a ton of high points on the island. We're going to be fine." He pulled Kairi into a loving hug that was slightly sandy from his time on the Paopu Island.

"Why were you out there Sora? You had me so worried when I woke up from the wind, and you weren't there."

"I couldn't sleep… I needed some time to think," Sora said simply. "I hadn't expected to fall asleep. Don't worry, my back won't allow me to do it again."

Kairi giggled and took his hands. "C'mon. I'll give you a massage." She led her fiancé back upstairs to their bedroom with its window over looking the beach. Sora knew he must be extremely sleep-deprived, because he thought he saw a tall figure standing there, his hair rippling in the wind. He blinked, and the image was gone.

He sat down on the bed, still thinking about that dream. He wondered if he should tell Kairi. Then he saw the look on her face and knew he could never bring himself to. She would be so worried and afraid. That was the last thing Sora wanted.

The girl sat so she was behind Sora and gently rubbed her hands down his sore back. "You've been pretty spaced out lately," she commented. "Why is that?"

"There's a lot to think about," Sora sighed.

"Yeah, but at least we have each other to depend on," Kairi whispered sweetly, pressing her lips to Sora's.

_Not in this case, Kairi…_

* * *

_Dear Donald and Goofy,_

_Thanks for your last letter. I know it's sort of strange to think about me getting married. I mean, I was always that annoying kid to you Donald. It's sort of like I'm going through a dream state myself with it all. I really do care about Kairi; I'm just sort of… worried about what might happen. I don't want to loose her again._

_There's one other thing I'm worried about… there's a storm, and I won't be able to send this letter till it passes through. It reminds me of the night the island was taken over. I don't like it… And there's one other thing._

_I'm going to do this on my own, and by the time you get this letter I've probably already done it. The Door is here. I'm going to open it and find Riku and King Mickey. There isn't time for you two to come; I don't think this storm is here by coincidence. The Door's going to leave soon, and if I don't act now, there's no way we'll be able to find it in time._

_If something happens to me, then I want you to explain everything to Kairi. She'll contact you for sure if something happens. If you don't hear from her DON'T TELL HER ANYTHING. I don't need her to get worked up about this when she's so excited about the wedding. _

_I'm sorry this whole letter sounds like I'm saying good-bye. I don't know what's going to happen, but no matter what; I want to know I can count on you guys. You're my best friends, after all._

_Your Friend,_

_Sora_

_PS Hope you can make the wedding._

* * *

_((N/A: Okay, confused? I guessed some people might be. You'll figure the letter out next chapter. :D Haha, btw, don't you LOVE that post script? Only Sora could pull that off. Thank you for reading, and PLEASE review!  
_

_Jacqueline Out.))  
_


	5. After the Storm

The rain didn't let up for hours on end. The wind whipped at the trees of the island, making them sway dangerously. Sora was reminded of tops, being pushed until they would ultimately fall. He stared out the window with Kairi fast asleep on his shoulder, a blanket wrapped around her bare shoulders haphazardly. She'd fallen asleep in Sora's arms an hour ago.

They'd both lost track of time. The power had gone out, and since then they'd been in the dark. There was no way they were going to get it back till the rain stopped and Sora could go outside and fix it up.

Gently, Sora laid Kairi down in the bed, grabbing his shirt and slipping on his shoes. He'd left the letter he'd written before the power out in his pocket, letting it remind him of what he needed to do.

But he was worried. The storm could very well be the effect of the door being on the island. If his fears were correct, the door wouldn't be there much longer. He went down into the kitchen. He grabbed an envelope from the drawer near the sink and wrote the addresses on it and stuffed his letter to Donald and Goofy in it. He grabbed another piece of paper and wrote to Kairi; _Send this to Donald and Goofy after the storm. _

He let out a long sigh, not knowing if there was anything else he could do. The brunette was afraid of going back upstairs to kiss Kairi goodbye. If she awoke, she'd wonder where he was going, what he was doing. It was the last thing Sora wanted at the moment. If he got cold feet now, he may never be able to find the door again.

"Goodbye, Kairi, I love you," Sora sighed to the house. The howling winds made the house groan in reply. The keyblade master bowed his head and pushed the door open, stepping out into the swell.

* * *

"Riku!"

The silver haired boy fell, the gash on his arm staining the darkness scarlet with blood. The heartless that stood over him held a scimitar, and moved to finish its victim off. Riku's aqua eyes closed, searching for anything in his memories to keep him fighting. He remembered what King Mickey had told him, about the brave heart that was supposed to save them. He tried vainly to hold onto that thought, but he couldn't even remember the name. He let his head fall back, the silver strands of hair now stained with his blood. The Way to Dawn lay uselessly a few yards away.

"Riku!" came another shout, but it wasn't Mickey's voice like he'd been expecting. "Riku! Wake up! Don't let the darkness take you!" Riku's eyes flew open as the flare of hope hit his heart, making the shadows crawling around him scatter. But there was no one in the darkness to help him. It was his own mind coming to save him. That voice… the voice of a friend. With a grunt, he slowly stood and shuffled towards his weapon. With his good arm, he lifted it off the ground and leaned against it. There was no way he would be able to fight the next wave.

"Mickey!" he called into the darkness.

"I'm all right!" came the hurried reply. The mouse appeared from a massive cloud of dying heartless. The cloud faded, but both knew they'd return. They always returned. Riku thought about that heartless, he didn't know where it had gotten to, but that didn't really matter. "You're hurt!"

"Yeah, but it's not like I can just sit down and take a rest," Riku mumbled, leaning heavily on his keyblade.

No more words were spoken as the next wave of heartless crashed upon the weakening hearts.

Sora stood in front of the door, keyblade in hand. Last time, he'd not been the one to open the door. He didn't know if he could. "But I have to try," he said determinedly as he thrust the keyblade forward, aimed at the door. The keyhole glowed ominously, the wind raged in protest, and the darkness unlocked.

Kingdom Hearts lay waiting.

Sora jumped into the swirling oblivion.

* * *

The heartless paused in their descending attack. Riku turned to look with them, to see the blinding light. He gave a gasp, falling to his knees with his good arm covering his eyes. He couldn't take the light; it burned through his eyelids and tore at his soul, reminding him just how much he'd given into the darkness. The heartless screamed shrilly, just as taken aback by the light. There was the slight clink of metal and then the screaming suddenly stopped.

Time was a different thing here in the black of hearts. It could be years when it felt like minutes. It could be minutes when it felt like years. Riku imagined it'd been a long time those heartless screamed and the light fought them, but to his tired, broken mind it felt like moments. Two hands gently pulled him out of his curled up position, turning him to face the light. He gave a gasp of protest, not wanting to feel the light burn his eyes again. He kept his good arm covering his eyes.

Someone was holding him to their chest, protecting him. Was it Mickey? No, the little mouse couldn't hold Riku. He was twice the mouse's size. Besides, the two fighters had grown cold living in this black place. His protector felt warm, and smelt of ocean waves.

Memories flickered in the silver haired boy's head. Images and faces, but after the image of an agile brunette boy, they fizzled and died.

"Mickey, he's been hurt!"

"Yes, it happened a little bit ago, though time here is much different. Find the door Sora, and get him out of here. The heartless will not approach again until they've doubled their power upon you. They know you must be the purest of lights."

Pure? Light? Riku forced his arm down, and gazed up at the boy holding him. Sora was looking away, the darkness swirling into his natural light. Those royal blue eyes held a light that was dangerous, that was angered. "Kick its ass," Riku laughed weakly. "I'm really going to have to owe you for this, aren't I… Sora?"

"Friends don't leave friends in the dark," Sora replied with his charming smile despite the situation.

"Here they come," Riku whispered, clutching Sora as he waited for the fight. He was released and laid on the ground as the keyblade master stood at the ready, throwing his sword through the darkness.

The fighting was quick, Sora having spent so much time training and so many years defeating these fiends. Riku could not look at him for very long, his natural bright heart making his eyes burn. Mickey was fighting too, leaving the boy on the ground feeling useless.

There was a pause in battle, where Sora ran back to his friend. He was out of breath and sweat trickled down his brow. "Riku, we have to get out of here. I had to leave the door open, and if we don't hurry, they'll escape into the world…"

Riku nodded, his eyes still tightly shut as he shakily took to his feet, holding open his palm his fingers slowly clutched the dark keyblade. "Lead the way," he grunted. Sora wrapped an arm around Riku's waist, helping him move through the dark. Mickey followed closely behind, fighting off any heartless that got too close.

The Door was wide open ahead of them. With a smile, Riku felt his limbs give out and his mind slip into unconsciousness. He'd seen dawn, and now he could rest.

"Mickey! I don't know how to close it!" Sora cried desperately. "Not without someone staying behind…"

"Just get him out of here, he's unconscious," Mickey replied, throwing a wild swipe at a looming heartless. It wasn't one the king was familiar with. In fact, he'd never seen it before on his travels or his years in the dark.

Sora obeyed, pushing Riku out into the cave. The boy fell to the ground, and lay still. Sora turned around to face the approaching heartless. Mickey glanced at the boy, and before he could understand what was happening, the mouse tripped Sora, making him fall backwards into the light.

"Mickey!" Sora shouted, getting to his feet again.

"Close the Door, Sora!" Mickey shouted back, his voice sounding like a bad radio's reception. Sora bit his lip, not wanting to leave the king after he'd just found him. "Now, or they'll get out!"

Sora closed his eyes and did as he was told, pushing the door shut with all his strength. Mickey took one last look at the light before it closed completely, leaving him in the world of Kingdom Hearts once more.

Sora fell to his knees, his gloved hands covering his face as he wept. The keyblade lay at his side like a good dog, waiting for its master to say the final command. Riku laid on his other side, broken and lifeless. He'd thought he could face Kingdom Hearts alone. Now he'd only gotten half the job done.

Painfully, the boy took to his feet, holding the keyblade out in front of him. The light flew from the tip of the key, and locked the Door with a final click. Sora watched as the wooden frame slowly disappeared into nothing, the cave becoming just as it was before.

"S-Sora?"

Sora spun around, staring down at Riku. He dropped to his knees, the keyblade disappearing from his grasp as he gently helped Riku sit up and lean against him. His friend's eyes were tightly shut against the light of this world. He shivered with cold and Sora knew he'd have to get some help for his arm. "I'm right here, Riku," he whispered.

"I… I'm sorry for betraying you," Riku stuttered, flinching as his arm was moved by Sora's shifting of weight. "You're… my best friend."

"You're my best friend too, Riku," Sora replied, hating the tears running down his face, even if Riku couldn't see them. It'd been so long since he'd let himself cry. Riku gave a crooked half-smile, his head slumping against the brunette's shoulder as he gave a shuddering exhale of breath and lay still.

The cave filled with silence, a soft light shining through the tunnel leading into the cave. The birds began to call; the sea lapsed against the shore. There was no trace of the roaring fight of the winds from the night before. Life continued even after the storm.

* * *

_((N/A - Yay! Plot twist... poor Mickey, getting stuck in there AGAIN! Anyways, thank you all for your alerts and reviews and favs. I'm sort of lazy to list you all off, but you know who you are! Be sure to review! I want to know what you guys think! (plus it gives me a fuzzy feeling inside to know people wanna give me feedback. :P) Thanks again!_

_Jacqueline Out.))_


	6. Chances

_N/A: Hey everybody! I'm SO glad so many people are on the alert subscription for Follow Me. It makes me all smiley and dorky. Anyways, hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's a mammoth milestone for me... this is the first dialogue I've ever written between two best friends. xD I know, that's weird, but most of the time it's people who are just getting to know one another. Thank you all for your alerts... but PLEASE, PLEASE, review? I wanna know what you think, not just that you're interested. -puppy dog eyes-  
Jacqueline Out.  
_

* * *

"Hold still."

"Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Well, I'm used to Donald being able to—"

"You know you're hopeless, right?"

"So says the guy who just got his ass whooped by a half-wit heartless."

"Touché."

Sora finished tying the last knot of the white gauze over Riku's upper arm and sat back on his heels to look at his patchwork. Riku lay sprawled on the cave floor, his shirt lying casually on one of the rocks nearby while he leaned against another as the younger bandaged him up.

"How's Kairi?" Riku asked nonchalantly as he stretched out on the quilt beneath him. He'd been recovering in the cave for a day or two now, Sora providing him all that he needed. This included the blue blindfold that stayed around his eyes. He was still far too sensitive to the light. At night, he'd take it off and look at the moonlight through the entrance of the cave.

Sora looked up from the first aid kit he was packing up. He flinched slightly at his friend's question. The older gave a nod of understanding. "She's real worried is all. She's noticed I'm not acting myself," Sora mumbled. "But the thing is… I've been more like myself than I've ever been in the past five years."

"I didn't realize I had that sort of effect on people," Riku said with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows. Sora's face flushed slightly, then he scowled and gave the silver haired boy a shove in the shoulder, making sure it wasn't the one that had gotten injured. Rubbing his shoulder with a pout on his face, Riku added, "So… you think she's sort of forgotten the person you were before all this?"

"I just think she's gotten used to me being quiet and predictable. I think that's what she needs right now. When I found the Door though, I had to see if I could find you."

Riku hung his head shamefully. All of this trouble his friends had gone through just for him. "Hey," he heard his friend whisper before there were two hands on his shoulders. He could feel the brunette's warm breath, warning him that Sora was leaning closer. "Don't beat yourself up, Riku. You were just trying to save Kairi."

"I didn't do it for Kairi. I did all that for myself. So I could see the worlds, and have power. I was a selfish little bastard who got jealous of a duck and a dog because they were there for you when I wasn't," Riku hissed, his voice filled with self-loathing. Suddenly, he was in a hug that made his lungs want to pop as the younger held him tightly.

"You'll always be my friend, Riku, even if you do make mistakes. I'll take you as you are."

"Sora…" Riku said breathlessly, surprised by this sudden act of intimacy.

"Yeah?"

"You're crushing my lungs."

"Oh, sorry."

"Thanks."

The two sat in silence for a while, uneasy. Sora stared down at his gloves, debating if he should head back to the house or not. Kairi had gone out to do some things for the wedding with Selphie. He'd been able to get the letter before she sent it off and burned it. No sense in telling Goofy and Donald when all he'd been able to do was get Riku back. They didn't much care for the silver haired boy after their experiences those years ago. He let his eyes wonder up to look at Riku. He still looked pretty beat up, but so much the same. He was taller, definitely more muscled, but otherwise the same Riku.

"Why are you marrying her, Sora?" Riku's smooth and always calm voice cut through the silence.

Sora frowned. Why would Riku ask him that? He'd just told his friend yesterday about his engagement, trying to get his mind away from the darkness. It seemed to have only made him confused. Riku was having a hard time accepting the fact so much time had occurred since he was gone. "Because I love her, duh."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, all right." He wasn't one to press. Sora pulled his legs up to his chest, letting his head rest on them as he stared around at the cave paintings. They weren't painful to look at anymore. It'd been hard to come in here the last two days to see Riku in a sleep filled with nightmares with these childhood memories surrounding.

Sora closed his eyes, tired from having to lie to Kairi, take care of Riku and to keep forgetting about how he left Mickey in the darkness. Before he knew what was happening, he'd fallen fast asleep. He'd been sitting next to Riku, and as he fell asleep, he slumped up against him, his mouth open slightly as he gave a soft snore.

Riku rolled his eyes, wishing he could look at his friend and see just how ridiculous he looked. Slowly, he put his arm around the brunette's shoulder and let his head lean back as he too drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asked as the three friends watched the sunset over the ocean's horizon. The water was on fire with the colors of red, orange and pink. The breeze whipped at their hair as all eyes were looking past the sea to the worlds beyond._

_"Could be," Riku replied, crossing his arms. "We'll never know by staying here."_

_Sora glanced over at the raft bobbing up and down in the water not too far off from the Paopu Island they sat on. It was almost finished. Even so, it was still tiny. "But how far could a raft take us?"_

_Riku's expression didn't change; his gaze didn't shift from the horizon as he spoke, "Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."_

_The sounds of seagulls and the gentle splashing of the rising tide filled their ears. Riku was lost in his traveling mind, hating the small town around him. If he didn't get out of this place soon, he'd suffocate._

_Kairi glanced down at her shoes as she swung her feet back and forth. She was perched on the big old Paopu tree, her two friends on either side of her. The silence worried her, as she was so unsure of the two beside her. They both seemed so comfortable with themselves. She was worried she'd say the wrong thing to Riku, or Sora would notice the way she looked at him. "So, suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?" she asked to fill the silence. She always liked to hear what Riku had to say. He seemed so cool and collected, if not a bit cocky._

_"__Well, I haven't really thought about it. It's just... I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds... Then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?" Riku said in a rush, his thoughts coming out haphazardly and confusing._

_Sora raised and eyebrow and laid back on the branch, his arms folding behind his head to act as a pillow. "I don't know," he said, aloof. _

_Riku clenched his fist and looked up towards the dusky sky. "That's why we need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So let's go!" he half-shouted, his voice full of emotion. _

_"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Kairi giggled._

_"Thanks to you. If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this," Riku responded easily. There was a pause in which the boy gave a half smile that was more of a smirk than anything. "Kairi, thanks." _

_ Kairi beamed. "You're welcome." She looked up at the darkening sky, and slipped off the branch with a soft sigh. "It's getting late. I'm gonna head home." The two boys watched as the girl walked away, before Sora rolled off the tree and onto the sand. He too began to walk back towards the shore where their little boats were tied._

_"Sora."_

_The brunette looked around to Riku who stood not far behind him. He tossed the younger something, and Sora grabbed it out of the air. He stared down at the star shaped fruit in his hand, his brow furrowed with puzzlement._

_"You wanted one, didn't you?" Riku said, voice smooth as silk as he walked up to stand beside his friend. _

_"A paopu fruit?"_

_"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each others lives no matter what." A smirk broke out across the silver haired boy's face. "C'mon. I know you want to try it."_

_"What are you talking—?"_

_Sora found a pair lips pressed gently against his own, Riku's arm wrapping around his friend's waist as he held him close. Sora's eyes widened with surprise, but he didn't struggle. As they broke the kiss, Sora smiled sweetly, and looked down at the paopu fruit in his hands._

_"Too late. Kairi and I are already sharing a destiny." He gave another one of his innocent, childish smiles and crushed the fruit in his hand. "You missed your chance, Riku."_

* * *

Riku awoke with a gasp, hating the images that had been going through his mind. The memory had started nicely, one of the last nights before so much had changed. Then it'd gone all wrong. He shook his head, trying to forget the image of him and Sora kissing. That wasn't bothering him as much as the thing he'd said afterwards, however.

He could still feel Sora leaning up against him, and by the sound of the snoring he was still fast asleep. Had he really moved on so much in that time? Had Sora really shared a paopu with Kairi? Were they really going to get married?

It had never occurred how much he needed Sora. Without him, he knew for sure he'd fall into darkness again. But he was going to be married, and have so many other things on his mind. They weren't just kids anymore, they couldn't just dream of a better way to live their lives. They had to work with what they had.

So much had changed, and yet… some things were just the same.

"Maybe you're right, Sora," he sighed softly. "Maybe I missed my chance. More than you'll ever know."


	7. Visitors of Light & Dark

Kairi opened the door to her now familiarly silent home with the sinking feeling that her fiancé was not there to greet her. True enough, the house echoed her footsteps without a trace of another human being in its walls. In the lonesome twilight lit kitchen she put out her frustration in beginning to prepare the fish she'd brought home from the mainland that day. She hardly ever saw Sora these days. He was always gallivanting around the island like he was a child again. There was so much to be done, and he was acting like a… a…

"Ugh!" she groaned, throwing the pan aggressively onto the stove. The fish began to sizzle as she poured in the oil and added the spices. She hated thinking about him off in some dark corner of the island all by himself pretending he could just forget the world around him.

"The world doesn't work like that, Sora!" she accused the frying fish. "You can't just purpose to someone then expect to be so distant and unreliable to them!" The redhead was horrified to feel tears streaming down her face. She got the fish off the burner just as she crumpled behind the counter with her eyes tightly shut against her sobs and her nose beginning to drip down her face.

Kairi had been trying so hard these past weeks, planning this and that, writing invitations, estimating costs… Her stress was at an all time high, and then they had to fight. But this silence and isolation was much worse than the daily rows. He'd just suddenly given up on her argument of being married on Riku's island and accepted it. It hadn't seemed strange at first, but then these days going out with no explanation, going out into the storms…

Just a few nights ago she'd awoken alone in bed after a sweet intimacy they had rarely shared these past few weeks to find him coming in out of the storm, disheveled, panting and soaked.

There had to be some sort of answer to it all.

She heard the door open with a creak, but no one stepped into the house for a moment. She held her breath, pushing her back into the corner of the counter. Sora usually walked in loudly…

"Smells like someone's been cooking," came a voice, oddly familiar, but not Sora's. It had a slightly strange dip to it, and at the end was a little, "hyuck!"

Kairi jumped up with an excited, girly scream. The duck and dog standing before her both jumped back in surprise as Kairi threw her arms up in the air and embraced both Donald and Goofy.

"Get off! Get off!" the little mage quacked, pushing Kairi off of him. Goofy however, hugged the young girl back and gave her a little pat on the shoulder. Kairi beamed, even though her face was tear-stained.

"Have you been crying Kairi?" Goofy asked, his large eyes furrowed in concern. Kairi gave a nervous little laugh and stroked away a few remaining tears.

"I just… I was…" she mumbled, not knowing how to describe the past two months. With a sigh she finally said, "I'm just stressed, but that's not important! What are you guys doing here?!"

"I think we oughta answer that with Sora around," Donald said, his voice as dark as a duck's could get. His expression made Kairi very nervous. They had to have traveled for at least a solid month to get here. World travel wasn't very quick now that the Door was closed and the worlds were no longer linked together by the darkness.

"Well, I'm glad you came for the wedding," Kairi said, turning back to the meal she was halfway through making.

"We might not be staying that long."

"Donald, course we will!"

"W-why wouldn't you?" Kairi stammered, holding a bowl of lettuce as she stared at the two with watery eyes.

"It's easier if we just waited for Sora before we say," Donald insisted though he looked like he regretted saying that to Kairi. "It is sort of important… so if you could call him down."

"Well, I don't know where he is," Kairi muttered bitterly. "He's been running off lately, says he's "sick of sitting around". If he's so sick of sitting around, then why doesn't he just help me with the planning I mean—"

"Wait, where's he been going off to?" Donald interrupted, his eyes narrowed as his hands went on his hips. Kairi was glad for the suspicion in the duck's voice. It made her feel less guilty for not trusting Sora.

"I dunno. Says he wants to get in shape again," she sighed, tossing a few tomatoes into the mix of the salad bowl.

"I bet he did get our letter, Donald," Goofy said in a voice that reassured and calmed both the girl and the mage. "He's probably just gearing up in case something happens, hyuck!"

Kairi paused and said slowly, "Wait… what did your letter say?"

"Didn't he tell you?" Donald replied skeptically, glancing up at Goofy who blinked innocently.

"T-tell me what…?"

* * *

"Sora… Sora…" 

"Ngh." The brunette half-opened his eyelids, seeing someone's face swimming before his. It was very close, and he closed his eyes once again, assuming it was Kairi. "I know, I know, I'm a lazy bum," he grumbled into the soft shoulder he leaned against. He hadn't slept this comfortably since…

"Well, yes, that and Kairi's going to wonder where you've been. It's past twilight now."

Sora's eyes flew open and what he saw was a pair of most brilliant eyes he'd ever seen. He felt like he was staring into the sea. Everything else went out of focus as he tried to lean into those eyes…

Riku blinked, and the spell was broken.

Sora realized that he was in his friend's arms, and the blindfold lay on the cave floor beside them. The brunette was curled up with his legs against his chest, resting upon his friend's chest as a pillow. Over all, the circumstance was rather awkward. Riku had noticed the vacant stare up into his eyes and gave a little smirk.

"My eyes aren't the only things you can get lost in…" Riku cooed in a way that Sora had never heard. Sora gave an unconscious shiver at the sound.

"W-what are you talking about?" Sora stammered, being sure not to look at the silver haired boy's eyes. Those eyes sparkled with understanding and mischief.

"Why did you bring me back?" Riku said, suddenly serious. He let go of Sora and was now staring at him with an intensity that made Sora shiver again. How could his moods change so suddenly?

"Riku, I told you…"

"No, that's not it. I know it isn't. Why did you bring me back?"

There was a long silence, as Sora fought with his thoughts. _He _wasn't even sure why. Now, he had to face the fact. Why had he brought back the boy who'd caused him so much pain and suffering?

"…Because I made you a promise," he whispered softly, his eyes looking down at his shoes. "And I'll _never _turn my back on a promise I made to someone I love."

The cave filled with silence, and Sora felt Riku move. The older boy stood and stretched his arms above his head, staring out at the soft moonlight seeping through the entrance of the cave. Sora figured that Riku hadn't wanted that answer, but he knew that was why he'd done it. He loved Riku like a brother—even if his best friend had betrayed him.

"I'm never going to be able to fill Kairi's shoes though, huh?"

"_What?" _

"You heard me. You love me, Sora, only as a friend." Riku wasn't look at him still, but Sora was now staring up at his friend in confusion. "But… Sometimes I think that I want more than that from you." His bright eyes caught in the moonlight and Sora caught a glimpse of something behind his eyes, something dark and not right. He turned back towards Sora, holding out a hand. Sora suppressed the gasp rising in his throat. He was offering him to follow, but this time it wasn't into the darkness to discover worlds. This offer made Sora's heart split into two.

"Sometimes I want you to love me the way I love you."

"Riku…"

"The darkness isn't so bad, Sora," Riku continued, taking the conversation in an odd direction to Sora. That same flash happened behind those eyes that Riku could not control. But his next sentence made Sora's skin prickle with unease. "It may drive you mad, but when it does… you figure out things that seemed so complicated in the light. But the dark casts no shadows.

"Follow me," Riku demanded in a hushed whisper. "Let the darkness strip away the questions. Let it cleanse you."

"Riku, what are you talking about! The darkness nearly swallowed you!" Sora cried weakly, afraid.

"Yes," Riku laughed and flexed his fingers, still waiting for Sora to take his hand.

"Riku… I can't."

The shining quality of his eyes seemed to dim for a moment as Riku took in a deep breath. The strange dark flashes behind them flickered and seemed to move as he breathed, it reminded Sora of someone lunging. His breath turned to a gasp. He fell to the ground and Sora was at his side in a moment. He took a hold of his friend's waist, trying to get him to sit up. He was on all fours, coughing and gasping. It seemed there was something… in his mouth. There was dark water pouring from his lips, thick and black as ink it poured down his front and onto the cave floor. As it touched the ground it began to twitch into shapes that made Sora gasp. They took shape into the heartless that could lie flat upon the ground. They began to pop up, but Sora was ready. He thrashed out at them with the keyblade that had come to his aid at once, slicing through them with ease. But they kept coming from Riku as he retched and choked on the strange ink.

A sudden idea popped into the brunette's head, and before he could fight it off, he'd stopped fighting the creatures and knelt down beside his friend. He pulled the gagging boy up, and pressed his lips to Riku's.

What happened next was all a blur to Sora. He could feel the heat pouring from his own lips, the heat of the light inside him. It clashed with the deathly cold of the ink smeared on Riku's lips. It seemed to bubble away at the touch, and Riku ceased to choke upon it. The remaining heartless scuttled away without Sora's notice. He had his eyes closed tightly as he experienced the odd sensation. Then, slowly, a hand's fingers entwined themselves in his hair, while the other snaked around his waist and pulled him closer.

Sora hadn't expected this. He'd thought it was the darkness talking to him, tempting him to be tainted as well. But it had been Riku speaking. He really did love him…

Riku's lips broke away for a moment and Sora gave a gasp. "Riku, let go, please," he begged. "I…"

"Started it," Riku finished. "How did you know that would work?"

"Erm…" He could feel his cheeks burning hot. It seemed to have just made sense to kiss Riku, but… now that he thought about it, he knew exactly why. He gave a tiny smile that Riku didn't catch.

He set his face, and said with confidence, "Because heartless can't stand love."

"And I had thought you just wanted to piss me off."

"That too."

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Mmf!" Before Sora could say another word, Riku's lips were back on his, this time, they both accepted it, and slowly Sora felt his body being lowered to the floor of the cave. He reached up and ran his hands through Riku's hair. Riku pulled away for a breath and leaned closer to Sora. The keyblade master's mind was reeling. He had no idea how this hand happened, but it seemed so wonderful. He didn't let his mind think of all his responsibilities. He forgot about the heartless and the dangers of them escaping, about Mickey still being held in Kingdom Hearts, but most of all, he let himself forget Kairi. In that moment, it seemed so simple. He couldn't marry her. Not now, not after he'd just done this. Riku was gently holding his face in his hands and whispering something to him, and he just managed to make it out from his swirling thoughts.

"Don't loose yourself, Sora," he was murmuring. "The worlds need you."

Sora wasn't sure what he meant, but didn't question it as their lips met once more.

* * *

_N/A -- Came quite suddenly, didn't it? I actually had no idea what I was doing when I was writing this. xD It's a whole new plot idea, but I like it. Yes, I'm thinking of things as I go. It's fun.  
Thank you to BabyBlueRowen, Darkmoon Fleur, FallenPhoenix9, FernClaw, HitomiLoveless, Kita Ito, MysticMaiden 18, SilverYaoiHellion, Sometime, animeadmirer, and namikun masaski for keeping alert. ;)  
Also thank you to Alaris-Kun, Cattypatra, and Gurei-Chan for the favorites!  
TO THOSE WHO REVIEW! YOU'RE AMAZING! -hands cookies-  
Jacqueline Out.  
_


	8. Maleficent

When Riku woke up the next morning, Sora was gone. He lay stretched out in the corner of the cave farthest from the light, and as his lids slid open he gave a gasp of pain before shutting them tightly once more. He couldn't feel anyone beside him, and his heart gave a painful twinge. The two had stayed together last night, simply holding each other and not speaking a word. Riku knew he'd sent so many questions running through the brunette's mind. He'd just caused his friend more trouble, like usual. Riku felt around the cave floor, trying to find the blindfold that he wore during the day.

"Looking for something?"

Riku froze. He remembered that voice. It was terribly familiar, dripping with sarcasm and evil. But was it just his imagination, or was she here? Riku felt something falling into his hand, and he clasped his fingers over the soft fabric of the blindfold.

"Even now you still wreak with darkness, Riku," Maleficent cooed, one of her long green finger's stroking the back of his head.

"Get away from me," Riku snarled, hitting her hand back. "Why aren't you dead? Sora killed you, _twice. _Not to mention I stuck a sword through you!"

"The heartless rejuvenate those who are truly evil," Maleficent replied, smirking as she watched the boy blindfold himself. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here, Riku."

"Get out of here, now," Riku hissed.

"You think I am just a figment of your imagination, don't you?"

"What else could you be?"

"Alive."

Riku threw off the blindfold and stared into the sunlit cave, but he was alone.

* * *

"WHERE WERE YOU?!"

"Kairi! I—"

"I was worried sick! You were gone all day, and you didn't come home!" Kairi snapped at the flabbergasted brunette in the doorway to their island home. "While you've been off pretending you're twelve years old again, guess who decided to pay a visit?"

Sora peaked around Kairi and saw Donald, his arms crossed and his webbed foot tapping. "DONALD!" he roared, pushing past Kairi and hugging the duck as tightly as possible. The little mage gave a strangled quack of protest as he was finally set back down. Sora's eyes strayed towards the couch, where Goofy was stretched out, his mouth wide open as he snored. He looked back to Donald, a grin across his face, but it faded by the duck's expression.

"Sora, we need to talk," Donald stated. Kairi stood beside him, both of them wearing similar expressions. Sora felt his stomach do a flip of fear. They couldn't know, could they?

"Hey, Sora's back," came Goofy's distinguished voice with a little chuckle. He sat up and stretched before standing up as well.

Donald chose to ignore Goofy. "The heartless are back."

"_What?_"

"We don't know how, but they've gotten out of Kingdom Hearts. The worlds are all connected by the darkness again, that's how me and Goofy got here."

"We used the ol' Gummi ship, hyuck!" Goofy interjected in a voice far too pleasant for the circumstance.

"Sora, why didn't you tell me the Door had been spotted around Traverse Town?" Kairi said, making Sora turn his attention away from his old friends.

"It didn't seem like a big issue," Sora replied with a shrug. "I didn't realize that it meant that it could be opened again…" _But it was me, _he thought bitterly. _I was the one who opened it and let the heartless out. They were inside Riku…._

"Well, someone opened it," Donald said, cutting the conversation back over to him. "And now the worlds are being threatened again… only this time, we don't have King Mickey to help us. We've got to make sure each world's keyholes are locked, and figure out if there's any other villains getting power by the darkness."

"But, what if the Door is closed again?" Sora asked slowly. "I mean, that means there can't be many heartless, right?"

"Maybe," Donald replied slowly, eyeing the boy closely. "Unless it doesn't have anything to do with the door at all. Heartless may have found a way out through something else…"

The room fell silent for a moment, before Kairi whispered, "Does this mean… that Sora's going to have to go with you two?"

Sora could hear the pain in her voice. They'd hardly been in contact with each other for at least a month. He knew she was trying. He knew that it was all his fault that this was a hard time for them. He was the reason for her unhappiness.

"Yes," the duck quacked quietly, taking Kairi's hand and giving it a soft pat. "Sora's duty as the Keyblade Master is to fight off this darkness and to protect the keyholes."

"I understand," Kairi mumbled, turning away. Sora reached out and touched her shoulder. She flinched away, and before any of them could stop her, she was running up the stairs, tears making her face glisten in the early morning sun.

Sora let his arm fall back to his side slowly, his eyes falling down to the wooden floor. How could he have ever thought of leaving her? Now that he had to, it was ripping at his heart. Another thing that was hurting him didn't involve the girl at all, but instead the boy in the cave who was probably waking up right now wondering why he was alone. They'd fallen asleep next to each other after a couple more passionate kisses. What would Riku think when he told him he had to go?

He had to tell Goofy and Donald the truth. Riku could help them, after all. Sora remembered the new weapon his friend had been wielding when he saved him from Kingdom Hearts. It was a keyblade, a very different one than Sora had ever seen. Riku would be willing to fight off the darkness. He'd be willing to come with them.

"At least this time we won't have to worry about a possessed friend chasing after us," Donald interrupted Sora's mounting excitement. It deflated with the expression on the duck's face. He was looking livid at the mere thought of Riku.

Looks like that plan was shot.

* * *

Kairi wiped her eyes for the umpteenth time. She'd run off to the Paopu Island and was now sitting on the familiar tree. Had Sora known that the door had opened? Kairi was convinced that he had. "He didn't want me concerned," Kairi spat bitterly at the ground. She wanted King Mickey and Riku safe too. She wanted to help him protect the worlds.

The girl pulled her legs to her chest and cried into her knees.

"Oh, don't cry little child," came a voice so familiar that Kairi was startled. She couldn't remember whom it was as with that sickly sweet touch to her voice. Slowly she raised her eyes to see a woman standing before her, crowned with devil horns and held herself with prestige. Her rigid green jaw line shifted as she gave a smile that took up her whole narrow face. "It's not your fault that that boy is abusing and forgetting you."

Kairi trembled with silent tears as the flow quickened at the dark fairy's words. She felt somewhere deep down that this was not the person to trust at this time, though she'd never seen her before. Or… had she? It felt like just a dream, but had she seen this green witch?

"Sora's… just got a lot of things on his mind," Kairi said in defense, but her own voice didn't convince even herself. The woman touched Kairi's shoulder, and a shiver went down her back. She looked up at the towering woman's face. Kairi hadn't noticed the clouds that had moved in, and were now as thick as night over the sun.

The green fairy gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I believe it's fair you know the truth, darling," she sighed, blinking innocently. "Come. Let me show you what has happened to the brave Master of Blades."

Kairi allowed her to lead her off the mini-island and back towards the waterfall on the main island. This creature that'd come to her in her time of need fascinated the red haired girl. She was so graceful, she seemed to glide rather than walk. She held a staff in one hand, a swirling orb mounted at the top that seemed to spin with images so fast, it made her sick to look at for long.

Kairi hadn't even noticed that she'd been lead to the entrance of the secret place. "Observe," came the chilling voice from the towering woman. Kairi blinked at her for a moment before hesitantly proceeding forward through the brush that was now blocking the entrance to the small cave. She smiled, remembering all the drawings. Her smile faltered as she heard Sora's voice.

"…I don't know what to do. I know it's my fault the heartless came out. I didn't close the door in time."

"This isn't your fault, Sora."

Kairi froze.

She knew that voice.

"Of course it is. I should have closed the door quicker! I was worried about Mickey! If I'd just listen to him like—"

Kairi had edged closer, too fascinated and surprised to worry about being seen. But it seemed that the two boys were too wrapped up in their conversation to see her. Or perhaps the witch standing at the mouth of the cave had something to do with it.

She stopped suddenly as Sora stopped speaking. Riku had crossed the cave and grabbed the brunette's arms firmly, in a gesture that wasn't exactly something you'd expect from a friend.

"If you keep beating yourself up over this, than you're going to get no where," Riku cut him off in a voice filled with love. Kairi's heart began to race. Sora was crying by now, and Riku leaned forward… and the two's lips touched briefly.

Kairi couldn't take anymore.

She ran from the cave, tripped and pretty much fell onto the dark fairy's feet. She was crying even harder now, her body shaking with anger. She'd guessed that Sora had been trying to open the Door. But… how could he?

"Hush, little child," the green woman cooed and pulled Kairi to her feet, allowing the girl to lean against her. "It is hard to accept, but he never loved you. You were just a liability."

Kairi cried even harder at this. She didn't doubt this woman's words for an instant. It all seemed to make sense. The anger over took her. It almost hurt it was so much.

"But don't worry," the fairy continued, "I can help you."

Kairi took a careful step back, straightening herself up so she could look at this woman's face. She looked so out of place on the island, but in her blind anger, her words rang like bells.

"I can make you powerful, I can help you find someone so much better than that boy, and I can make sure you'll make him regret treating you so poorly."

Kairi's mouth twitched into a smile that did not suit her sweet, round face. "What must I do?"

"Follow me," Maleficent replied, holding out her long green hand for the girl to follow her into the swirling darkness.

* * *

_This puts such more meaning to the title, doesn't it? Hehehe. -is evil-  
I bet some of you thought this was just going to be fluffin' yaoi? Haha, mistaken. I have this HUGE plot idea. As you can see, I'm happy about this. Oh, and I'm aware my playlist doesn't make sense anymore. I'm gonna sort of kill it, sorry. It just doesn't make sense. So, thank you all for the lovely reviews! I got a TON last chapter. Also, thank you to everyone whose been adding me to the alerts and favs. I really do feel great when I read about so many people liking my stories! Well, that's all for now!_

_Jacqueline Out.  
_


	9. Stress Relief

Sora couldn't feel comforted, even by Riku's words of encouragement and pats on the back. This wasn't going to work. It was better to just take the blame and pretend that Riku didn't exist. But of course, Riku was going to have his way with things.

"Sora, we don't have to tell them any more then how you got me out of the Door," Riku tried to reassure the brunette. "Kairi and Goofy and Donald don't need to know about… the rest of it."

Sora gave him a sharp look. They sat at the mouth of the cave, Riku's eyes adjusting slowly to the fading light of the setting sun. The younger pulled his knees up to his chest and muttered, "They're not going to like it that you're involved _at all. _It doesn't matter how much."

"Well, they're going to have to get used to me. I'm going to come with you," Riku replied easily, standing up and turning to hold out a hand for Sora. Sora looked up at him and sighed. He took the silver haired boy's hand and allowed him to help him to his feet. They watched the sun sink beneath the horizon before they made their way up the beach.

Sora was nervous, unable to hide it as they came to the house. Riku paused and narrowed his eyes that shifted back and forth suspiciously. "What?" the younger asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Riku replied but it didn't reach his eyes. Sora felt a new wave of nerves rack through him. He put his gloved hand on the doorknob and pushed it open.

There was a soft golden light coming from the living room where Goofy and Donald sat hunched over a few maps and documents. It was hard to tell exactly what they were discussing, but it involved something about Halloween Town. Goofy looked up and smiled at Sora. Riku hung back in the shadows, waiting for Sora to say what they'd decided on in the cave. "Hey there Sora," Goofy said, still pleasantly, but this time it sounded cautious too. "Kairi with you?"

"No," Sora said, momentarily distracted. "I thought she ran upstairs."

"She did," Donald replied, looking uneasy. "But she came running down. We saw her heading towards the Paopu tree." Sora gave a puzzled look. He hadn't seen Kairi at all. Where could she have gone?

"She'll come back when she's ready," Goofy decided, putting an end to the conversation. Despite the warrior's easy-going explanation, Sora couldn't help but feel worried still. "So where have you been this whole time, Sora?"

Sora took a deep breath. This was it then. "I should have told you guys from the start, I'm sorry," he started, his eyes straying towards the floor. "The Door… came back to the Island."

"What?" Goofy and Donald said together. They didn't sound disgusted or aghast, but simply curious.

"It's gone now, but… I went into it."

The room filled with shocked silence.

"So, you let the heartless escape?" Donald said slowly, looking skeptical.

"I didn't mean to," Sora said quickly, walking forward towards his friends a few steps. "It was all happening so fast." Sora explained how he'd fought through the heartless to get to Mickey and Riku. Donald and Goofy were looking more convinced by the second. "King Mickey told me to take Riku… he was hurt. So I grabbed him and closed the door before more could get out."

"Wait, Riku's here?" Donald said, and this time his voice was harsh. Sora gave a weak smile and a nod. He motioned towards the door and Riku walked in smoothly, shutting the wooden door behind him with snap. Donald's eyes bulged while Goofy waved happily.

"In the flesh," Riku said in his smooth, sly voice. Sora held back his smile.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Donald quacked angrily.

"I thought you'd go kamikaze on me and tell me I was an idiot!"

"Then you're right! That was a stupid thing to do, Sora!"

"We were going to have to do it eventually, Donald," Goofy said, patting the duck on the back. Goofy's big hand caused the duck to flop forward with a quack of surprise. Riku snickered. "It's just a shame King Mickey couldn't have gotten out first."

"Don't worry, he's all right," Riku said, and the room fell silent as all eyes turned to the silvered haired boy. Sora had never asked how things had gone in the darkness. It didn't seem right. "He was doing a whole lot better than me. He kept fighting, and he'll keep fighting. He's got more hope now that Sora was able to get through. We just have to find the Door again and get him back!"

"Easier said than done," Donald grumbled. "We have no idea where it could be. Plus, we have to check all the worlds to make sure they're safe. That's Sora's duty as the keyblade master."

Riku sighed, crossed his arms and gave a curt nod. He leaned against the wall, looking like the old Riku. Sora couldn't help but stare. It was like they were fourteen and fifteen again, completely unaware of the dangers around them. Then reality came crashing down on Sora again and he let out a painful sigh.

"We should get going then, huh?" Sora mumbled.

"Soon," Donald replied with a nod. "But first, we should figure out where Kairi's gone. I'm sure she'd like to know that Riku's back."

Riku and Sora exchanged looks. They both had a feeling she wasn't going to be very overjoyed. However, no matter how long they searched that night they couldn't seem to find the girl on the island. Sora was becoming increasingly anxious as he checked the secret place with Riku.

"Maybe she left the island," Riku said as gently as he could. Sora was off running before he could even get all the words out of his mouth. Rolling his bright eyes, the silver haired boy followed suit, looking sullen.

At the dock where the boat sat drifting in the waves, Sora let out a shout of defeat and sat down on the sand, his gloved fingers pulling at his spiky hair. Riku watched, his eyes wide with curiosity as a dry sob escaped Sora. Tentatively, he touched his quivering shoulder. Sora pulled away quickly, turning his back to Riku. Riku slowly pulled his hand back to his side, still not saying a word in fear of making Sora feel worse.

"I can't ever protect her!" Sora cried, kicking up a small cloud of sand. "All I ever do is get her in trouble! No matter how much I try, she's always getting lost or hurt or something!"

"Kairi's a magnet for danger," Riku soothed, sitting down next to the brunette with a sigh. "Actually, I think we all are."

"Humph," Sora muttered, still not looking at Riku. A few silent minutes passed before Sora finally blurted, "Where could she have gone?"

Riku's expression changed a few times before his face settled for grave. Sora had caught a flash of what appeared to be pity and hatred before it settled for a solemn scowl. "Sora, please, don't overreact. I think Kairi left the island by darkness… that's the only way she could have gotten out of here unless she found a sudden talent for swimming across channels."

Sora's eyes widened, and despite his friend's warning, he was standing and running back towards the house before Riku had finished his sentence. Riku grumbled as he stood. It seemed that Sora was having a habit of running off in the middle of what he was saying these days.

Back at the house, Goofy and Donald were waiting anxiously. They'd rechecked every nook and cranny of Destiny Island while Sora and Riku had combed the beaches. Sora skidded to a stop in front of them and panted, "We… think someone… must have taken her!"

Donald's eyes widened almost comically before he was scowling his usual frown. "Then we should leave. Kairi has to be in a world close by. Darkness can't travel all that far…"

Sora nodded gravely and glanced up. Riku had been right behind him…

"A little help guys?!" came a shout over the night air. Sora squinted in the darkness to see Riku stumbling back, his strange keyblade in hand, from a huge swarm of heartless.

"Gorsh," Goofy gasped.

"Uh-oh," Donald quacked.

"Finally," Sora grumbled. "Stress relief." And the keyblade master went running into the swarm with Riku.

* * *

_N/A - Ohmigosh, guys. I'm so sorry it took me so freaking long to post this! I was having such bad writer's block... it was terrible. I know where I want it to go from here, so the next chapter should be up a lot quicker. Thank you to all my lovely watchers and reviewers, if it wasn't for you guys, I'd have given up on this story two months ago. xP_

_Jacqueline Out._


	10. Introductions

"What is it that is so urgent, Maleficent?" came a cold female voice. It was hard to see which one of the dark figures it came from. The circular tower room that the dark fairy had brought Kairi into held no forms of light. Kairi shivered slightly from the cold. Her anger was wearing thin and now she was just frightened. Her eyes hardened again as she remembered that she was on her own; Sora had found someone else to protect.

Maleficent stepped forward towards the round table and sat in one of the high backed chairs. She tapped her staff on the ground once, and Kairi felt the floor beneath her disappear. She gasped as she was taken up into the air and placed down upon the center of the table. There were murmurs from all around, some in disapproval, others in excitement.

"What business is this, to bring a Princess to our meeting?" came a dark male voice. The owner leaned forward in his seat and glared up at the girl past bushy eyebrows.

"Gaston, you were unaware of the value of Princesses when your world was destroyed," Maleficent said smoothly in a cutting voice. It dripped with false sweetness and condescends. "But we are not hoping to reopen Kingdom Hearts. No, that has already been done by the Keyblade Master to rescue his dear friend, Riku and the King."

A hiss ran through the group at the mention of King Mickey. "He did not retrieve them, did he?" came that same utterly cold voice from one of the chairs. She did not move an inch as she continued, "If he had, we would already have been discovered."

"No, he only successfully brought back the boy who had proven useful to us last time around," Maleficent smirked at her own words. "Now, stop interrupting. You see Sora no longer holds refuge of Kairi's heart. He has chosen to let his love go somewhere else." There were a few nods of understanding, while Gaston stared at the wood puzzled.

"Kairi wishes nothing but to make sure he pays for his betrayal. Isn't that right, dear?"

Kairi bit her lip as her eyes swept the table. Though she could not see every face clearly, she knew that they were all staring straight at her. She tried to hold herself higher as she declared; "I want him to loose his heart from me, just like I lost mine from his."

Chilling laugher filled the stone room and echoed off the walls. The woman who had spoken twice now stood and Kairi was able to see her for the first time. The regal looking woman stood tall, a crown atop her head. Fabric concealed her hair and made the features of her face even more predominate. She would have been beautiful, had it not been for the sneer on her face and the cold touch to her dark eyes. "Maleficent, you cannot honestly expect us to join you on your silly crusade for this _child! _Had you not stated that we must seize this chance to make our move? It would be idiotic to go _looking _for the Key Bearer. I will not stand for this."

Maleficent glared coldly back at the dark eyes trying to intimidate her. A smirk was climbing across the dark fairy's narrow face as she replied coolly, "Are you truly just wishing to stay focused, my dear Queen, or is this a personal prejudice against Princesses?"

The Queen's nostrils flared and Maleficent cackled mercilessly. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" she howled. The others around the table began to laugh as well.

"ENOUGH!" The Queen bellowed. The sound shook off the walls and silenced the room instantly. Kairi was holding her knees, afraid of the people around her. "I will not stand to be mocked for my sufferings. A Princess harmed all the rest of you in your pasts. I am no less. I am not laughing at you, Maleficent, for going on a rage for not being invited to a _birthday party._ I do not mock you, Gaston, for falling in love with a girl who picked a wild animal over the likes of you."

The dark faces that were staring back at the Queen did not stop her rant. She was sneering all the more as she went on down the list. "Lady Tremaine, your daughters were humiliated by your servant girl who stole all your chances for the life you wanted. Governor Ratcliffe, your entire search for gold, God and glory was ripped away by a savage girl!"

"Enough," came a hissing voice from one of the chairs. Kairi could see the outline of the creature, who appeared to loom taller than most of the occupants of the high backed chairs. It was crowned with what appeared to be two gigantic horns. "We all have a score to settle with those who got in our way. This girl," a gnarled, skeletal hand seemed to appear from the shadows to motion towards Kairi, "is just like the rest of us now. What does it mean if she was once a Princess? If she opens her heart to the darkness like we have… then she is no longer pure of heart."

All eyes were fixed on Kairi now. She closed her eyes, and tried to think of something else than all these shrouded figures glaring at her. She thought of Sora, fighting to find her. Then her mind replayed what she had seen that day and her fists clenched tightly. Slowly, she stood up on the table, her head held high. "What do you want, then, if not to open Kingdom Hearts?"

Maleficent silenced all with a wave of a hand before she replied, "Our goal is to take power back over our worlds, for it is our right. We all ruled the worlds in some way or form before the heartless came. Using heartless may be necessary to over throw the new powers that hold our worlds. You can see where your Key Bearer and King Mickey can get in the way." She smirked slightly before continuing, "It would do us a great help if you would eliminate both Riku and Sora. Then, my dear, we will make sure to find you happiness and love."

Kairi considered all of this. It was wrong to trust these people she knew that. But _who_ could she trust? She'd have to look out for herself, no matter what happened. With a deep breath she closed her eyes and nodded. "I'll do it."

All the members of the table seemed to smile, though Kairi could not see all of their faces. She caught sight of the Queen eyeing her suspiciously. Maleficent stood and said in a booming voice, "Welcome, child, to the family." She cackled, while the others stared at the first dark Princess.

* * *

_N/A - Hey ya'll! So sorry it took me forever to update this thing! I'm going to tell you right now, today's the last day of summer, and I'm determind to finish this today. There's only one more chapter after this one. Then an epilogue. Yes, I'm going to make you all have to wait for a sequel! I promise, more fluffy moments in the next one. Thank you all for your support, and that stuff. :D  
Jacqueline Out.  
_


	11. Three Little Words

The heartless was a wall of black as Sora and Riku fought their way through. Sweat poured from their brows as they clashed with the dark beings. At one point, they fought back to back, keeping the creatures at bay. Donald and Goofy did the same, but the waves of heartless did not let up.

"This is," Riku grunted as he swung his blade at a one of the flying creatures, "almost as bad as being trapped in their with Mickey!"

"Duck!" Sora warned and jumped up to send a shower of flames at the belly of a particularly large heartless. Riku ducked just in time to make sure his hair was not harmed. "We need to find the keyhole to this place," Sora shouted over the mayhem. "If we don't soon, this place will be gone!" As he spoke, the ground beneath them began to shake. They stood on the beach, unaware of the swirling purple and blue colors lighting up the night sky. When they looked up, they both knew that they were loosing time. This world was going to be the first to go now that the door to Kingdom Hearts had been tampered.

"You should have just left me in there, damn-it!" Riku snarled at Sora quite suddenly. Neither of them had noticed the heartless had stopped coming for them all together. "If you had just lived your life, you wouldn't have to find Kairi again, and deal with all of this and—"

"Would you just shut up?" Sora snapped, giving Riku a smack in the back of the head. "If I hadn't saved your ass, than I wouldn't have been living any life. I was like a zombie, and I know that it was stupid and reckless to run in there all on my own, but if I could do it again, I would."

"Why?" Riku shouted back, the ground was shifting and the sand beneath them was running downwards through a crack in the very earth. Donald and Goofy were on the other side of this crack, and were trying to shout and get the two boy's attention. They were far too wrapped up, however, in their argument. "Why was it worth it? Why am I worth it?"

"DO I NEED TO SPELL IT OUT?" Sora roared back. But his face changed expression rapidly. He stared at Riku helplessly and mumbled, "I love you."

Riku blinked, taken by surprise. Sora hadn't come out and said those three little words, even if he had hinted them. It took on a whole new meaning of what their quest was. Before Riku had time to reply, Donald's voice finally was able to carry over to them. "SORA! RIKU! THE KEYHOLE!!"

Sora and Riku exchanged looks before they took in their surroundings once more. The island was splitting in two, and Donald and Goofy were on the side with the gummi ship. Sora watched as his house was tore apart with horror. Riku, however, seemed to know what he was doing. He grabbed the stunned Sora's hand and took in the size of the crevasse between them and their only means of escape. It was over fifteen feet wide. There was no way they could make it now. "Goofy, Donald, go!" he shouted. "There's no time! We'll find the keyhole, but GET OUT OF HERE!"

Sora hardly registered that he was being pulled back towards the crumbling center of the island. How had all of this happened so fast? Why couldn't he defeat it?

"Sora, snap out of it! You're the one who needs to find the keyhole!" Riku shook his friend who blinked in surprise. His expression changed quickly, and he set his jaw.

"I think I know where it is," Sora said, and ran towards the Secret Place. Riku narrowed his eyes. There was something very wrong with Sora. Then again, there wasn't much time to contemplate. They had to seal the keyhole and get out of there before the entire world crumbled.

Riku ran after Sora, but froze as the ground rippled again. Sora had fallen to the ground and was staring up at an enormous heartless. Riku remembered the night he had gone through the darkness… and given up the keyblade to save him and go find the worlds. He'd left Sora to fight for himself. Not this time.

The heatless was a twist of black bands that all seemed to form together to make a body. It was not unlike any Sora had faced before, but it had been a long time since he'd defeated something this large. The keyblade master jumped to his feet and stood at the ready when a yell came from behind him. Riku ran forward, swinging his sword in front of him. Sora gave a grim smile and turned back to the gigantic beast. He jumped into the air and threw a hard blow at its shoulder. It roared with distaste, but not pain. Riku was at his side now, and they began to try and penetrate the beast's thick hide. "Go for the eyes," Riku shouted.

Sora jumped forward, but could only graze the collarbone of the beast. He fell to the ground, panting. He'd received a few blows from the beast, but it only seemed interested in keeping them at bay, not killing them. Sora turned to Riku, who was panting beside him. Neither could do this alone. Riku turned and looked at Sora thoughtfully before he grabbed the keyblade master and commanded, "Use me as a boost and get at its neck!" He hoisted Sora up on his shoulders and leapt towards the monster. Sora didn't have enough time to protest. He jumped from Riku's shoulders as he was told. He only had one good swing. He threw the keyblade out at the heartless's thick neck. A roar filled his ears as he came falling back to the ground. Wildly, the creature threw a deadly blow of its massive hand. Riku was on the ground, but looking up at Sora to see if he would make it. The hand threw in back, smashing his head into a tree. He slid to the ground, blood staining the back of his bright hair.

Time seemed to slow as the Keyblade came back to Sora. The monster was roaring in pain and fell back as the darkness began to disintegrate its remains. Sora fell to the ground with a hard burst of reality. It brought time back as the air rushed out of his lungs. It took him a moment to get his breath back, but once he had, he was running. The brunette knelt beside Riku and grabbed him roughly, shaking him with tears streaming down his face. "Riku!!" he screamed. "Riku, wake up!" He cradled the back of his head carefully and felt the warmth of his friend's blood. Desperately, Sora pressed his lips against Riku's cold mouth. There was no stir in Riku's calm state. Sora stood, holding Riku despite how heavy the older's dead weight was. Sora dragged him towards the Secret Place. The world was crumbling quicker now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Paopu Island disappear into darkness. He began to run, pulling Riku along with him.

The cave was oddly silent. Sora was in shock and he searched desperately for the keyhole. There was nothing in the cave but memories. Sora gave a cry of defeat and fell to the cave floor, cradling Riku as he felt the world beneath him crumble.

Just before the darkness swallowed them, Sora saw faintly what appeared to be a drawing of a keyhole. His eyes may have been playing tricks on him. He buried his face into Riku's bloody hair and closed his eyes.

And he knew no more.

* * *

_N/A- This. Is. The. End.  
I know that I am going to get complaints... but this is how it ends. I am, of course, going to have a sequal, but it may take a while for me to start writing that one. I still have an epilogue to post, and I think you'll all enjoy it. I like it. Thanks for sticking with me! Sorry the ending here came so... abruptly. I just, I couldn't fit everything in one story, so I'm making another one! Please review!  
Jacqueline Out.  
_


	12. Epilogue: Valiant

"Gorsh, Donald… do you think we really should have left them there?" Goofy asked as Donald kept control of the gummi ship. It was hard flying as the world around them started to crumble.

"Of course! Riku and Sora know how to handle themselves," Donald said, but they both heard the worry through his words. As t hey got into space, they turned to look back at Destiny Isles. Or, truly, what was left of it. "Oh, no…" Donald whispered, his voice catching as he tried to hide his emotions. The world that had been a swirl of bright aqua and yellow sand was now a purple and black abyss. It flickered like this for a moment, and then disappeared completely.

Goofy clutched the window, his eyes wide in shock. Sora had always been able to close the keyhole before. "We could have helped them," Donald yelled angrily. Goofy knew the anger was just to keep back the duck's tears. "But they had to be valiant!"

"Would you have wanted them to… go in any other way, Donald?" Goofy asked seriously.

Donald stared at the space where Destiny Isles should have been and replied, "No."

They sat in silence, before they knew they couldn't delay it any longer, and sped off. To where, they no longer knew.

* * *

"_You're wrong! I know now, without a doubt, that Kingdom Hearts… is light!" Sora yelled as Ansem reached towards the Door to all darkness. Suddenly, a bright, beautiful light rushed from the opening in the Door._

_Gasping, Ansem recoiled from the bright light. "Lights… but why?" _

_Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched as Ansem disappeared in the blinding light. As the last trace of the man was gone, Sora began running towards the door and yelled back to his friends, "Come on!" They rushed to seal the door, their backs and arms straining with the weight. As Donald and Sora worked, Goofy looked up into the light. Suddenly, his arms went slack, giving more strain to the other two who continued to push._

_"Stop staring and keep pushing!" Donald snapped, throwing his shoulder into his effort. Goofy pointed and Donald glanced into the crack of the door. There, a swarm of heartless was running forward and building in numbers and speed._

_Eyes wide, the little mage and warrior exchanged looks. "The heartless?!"_

"_Hurry!" Donald urged, throwing double effort into it. _

_"I can't…" Sora gasped, sweat beading upon his brow as he strained to move the giant doors. He began to lessen his weight, too weak to keep going._

_"Don't give up!" _

_Sora's eyes flew up to the crack in the doors. Standing there, his whole body cast in a bright glow of light, was Riku, his face filled with determination. He put his hands on the door from the other side and said with a smile, "Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!"_

_Sora paused for just a moment and gave a soft smile before clenching his teeth in determination. "Okay!" he agreed and threw all of his strength at the door. Riku added his strength as he pulled at the door. The four worked hard, but the wall of heartless was rapidly approaching. There was no way to get the giant doors shut in time._

_"It's hopeless!" Donald cried frantically._

_But even before all the words were out of Donald's mouth, the heartless were disappearing one by one. Sora watched in amazement as they were eliminated completely. Goofy and Donald suddenly gasped together and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty!" they cried in relief. Sora stared at the silhouette of the long awaited King. He approached them and held up his own keyblade. _

_"Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good!" _

_Donald swiveled around and shouted to Sora, "Close it, quick!"_

_Sora stared at the King and Riku who sat on the wrong side of the door. Riku was smiling sadly. "But…" The Key Bearer floundered to insist getting them out first._

_"Don't worry," Mickey promised with a reassuring smile. "There will always be a door to the light."_

_"Sora, you can trust King Mickey," Goofy told him with a pat on his shoulder. Sora looked at the ground sadly before he looked back up to his friend._

_"Now! They're coming!" Riku insisted, his eyes smoldering with a feeling that made Sora's heart tug painfully._

_ "Donald, Goofy, thank you," Mickey said quietly to his most trusted servants. They both nodded, knowing the costs of what their King did now. Slowly, they begin to push against the doors. Sora could see Riku as he spoke through the small remaining crack before it closed with an infinite bang._

_"Take care of her…"_

* * *

_N/A - Okay, so this is the real end. :P I just needed Goofy and Donald to have their say. So, tell me what you guys think about the sequal and stuff! Thank you all for not deserting me. xD You're all so wonderful. I feel so girly right now it makes me want to vomit. Here, have some Riku plushies everyone!  
Jacqueline Out.  
_


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